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WASHINGTON, March 2- Regulators shouldn't weaken a rule that limits banks' borrowing, a senior U.S. bank supervisor said on Monday, indicating a possible split with the derivatives watchdog over the issue. Tom Hoenig, second-in-command at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp, said he disagreed with the head of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission who has...

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CHICAGO, Feb 27- Chicago's rating downgrade to Baa2 by Moody's Investors Service on Friday could terminate four interest-rate swap agreements, costing the city about $58 million, according to the credit rating agency. The swaps, which the city uses to hedge interest-rate risk on its variable-rate bonds, can be ended by bank counterparties if Chicago's credit...

*J.C. Penney tumbles after earnings. NEW YORK, Feb 27- U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Friday, with major indexes on track for a fourth week of gains, ahead of readings on economic growth and consumer sentiment. *Later in the session at 10:00 a.m., the University of Michigan's final February reading on consumer sentiment is expected, along with pending...

*Salesforce.com climbs after results, outlook. NEW YORK, Feb 26- U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Thursday ahead of a flurry of economic data, after the Dow edged up to a new record a day earlier while the Nasdaq snapped a 10- session winning streak. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen to a House of Representatives committee that yielded little insight...

TOKYO, Feb 26- Foreign investors bought 1.13 trillion yen of Japanese cash shares and futures last week, their largest net buying in more than three months, helping to drive Japanese stock prices to 15- year highs. They bought 153.8 billion yen of cash stocks, data from the Tokyo Stock Exchange showed, and also bought 978.8 billion yen of Japanese stock futures,...

Feb 25- Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc, a retailer of hardwood flooring in North America, said the U.S. Department of Justice may seek criminal charges against the company under an Act aimed at curbing illegal harvest of tropical hardwoods. Contracts volume in Lumber Liquidators' options were 9 times normal at about 27,000, according to Trade Alert data.

LONDON, Feb 25- Twenty years after Nick Leeson brought down Britain's oldest investment bank, the rogue trader immortalised in book and film says little has changed in an industry that continues to throw up one scandal after another. Leeson, whose $1.4 billion loss as a Singapore- based junior derivatives trader led to the 1995 collapse of Barings Bank and earned...

Feb 25- As the banking crisis fades in memory, only to be replaced by a lingering economic slowdown, governments have lost interest in financial reform despite warnings from experts that dangers remain. Main financial rules completed since 2007-9 crisis. *Making the $691 trillion financial derivatives sector safer: swap contracts must be reported as well as...

*New home sales data expected at 10 a.m.. NEW YORK, Feb 25- U.S. stocks index futures pointed towards a flat open on Wednesday, after the Dow and S&P 500 climbed to their latest records, before a second day of testimony from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and data on the housing market. "There is a pregnant pause in the market this morning," said Peter Kenny, chief market...

*Yellen's two-day testimony before Congress to start at 10 a.m.. NEW YORK, Feb 24- U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Tuesday, with the Dow and S&P 500 holding near record levels ahead of testimony by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen and a flurry of economic data. *Yellen will give the central bank's semi-annual Monetary Policy Report to the Senate...

NEW YORK, Feb 23- U.S. stock index futures dipped on Monday, after the Dow and S&P closed at records on the heels of an agreement by euro zone finance ministers to extend Greece's bailout by four months provided it draws up a list of reforms. *Greece will present its economic reform plans on Monday to seal the euro zone financial lifeline, but the government drew...

*Stocks mixed, euro little changed in Asia. *Debt deal a relief but Greece seen not out of woods yet. U.S. stock futures opened flat in Asia but Japan's Nikkei could track Wall Street's sizable gains to scale another 15- year high.

DETROIT, Feb 20- United Auto Workers President Dennis Williams, whose union indirectly controls the largest single block of General Motors Co shares, told Reuters an investor group's proposal that GM buy back $8 billion of its stock is premature, and the amount too high for the company's long-term health. An investment firm controlled by Harry Wilson, a former...

Chris Giancarlo started work as a member of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which oversees futures and swaps trading, in June of last year. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a vocal critic of Wall Street, and Elijah Cummings, a U.S. representative from Maryland, in a letter raised concerns about shares in GFI that Giancarlo, a Republican, had sold after he was...

WASHINGTON, Feb 20- Two Democratic lawmakers on Friday raised concerns over share sales by an official at a U.S. regulator at a time when his former company was engaged in a takeover battle, saying there had been possible conflicts of interest. Chris Giancarlo started work as a member of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which oversees futures and swaps...

*Investors look for signs of progress with Greece deal. NEW YORK, Feb 20- U.S. stock index futures pointed to slight losses at the open on Friday amid uncertainty over ongoing negotiations for a debt deal in Greece. While the start of an emergency meeting of the 19- nation Eurogroup in Brussels was postponed to allow more time for preparatory talks, the new prime...

*Investors look for signs of progress with Greece deal. NEW YORK, Feb 20- U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Friday, suggesting major indexes would end a quiet week with another day of slight moves as investors await clarity on a possible debt deal for Greece. *While U.S. equities have little direct exposure to Greece, a relatively small economy in the euro...

WASHINGTON, Feb 19- Freddie Mac saw $3.4 billion in quarterly derivative losses due to declining interest rates, the government-controlled mortgage finance company said on Thursday. Freddie Mac also said it will pay $851 million to the U.S. Freddie Mac Chief Executive Officer Donald Layton said a hefty derivative loss could require the company to draw money...

*Priceline shares rally in premarket after results. NEW YORK, Feb 19- U.S. stock index futures pointed to a flat open on Wall Street Thursday, with major indexes near record levels, as investors continued to digest ongoing uncertainty over Greece. Exxon Mobil fell 1.2 percent to $89.95 in premarket trading while Halliburton Co was off 2.2 percent to $43.43 and...

NEW YORK, Feb 18- U.S. stock index futures were flat on Wednesday, a day after the S&P 500 ended above 2,100 for the first time ever, as investors waited to see whether a debt deal would be reached with Greece. *Wall Street stocks have been tied to signs of progress or difficulty with Greece's bailout program of late, even though the United States has little direct...